Alison Cleary’s cocaine sentence appeal dismissed

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Alison Cleary’s appeal against a three-year sentence for possessing cocaine for supply was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on 5 December 2016. The sentence had been imposed by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 29 July 2016.

The court was told that 1.48 kilograms of cocaine, valued at €128,891, had been found during a search of Cleary’s family home in Lucan on 4 February 2015. Cleary had pleaded guilty and admitted responsibility for possessing the drugs.

The judgment records that Cleary argued the sentence was too severe, citing her guilty plea, youth, lack of previous convictions and claimed minor role. The Court of Appeal found that the sentencing judge had properly considered the mitigating factors and the seriousness of the offence.